Bali’s most visited waterfall – A guide to the popular Tegenungan Waterfall

The ever-popular Tegenungan Waterfall near Ubud is the ideal day trip for those who simply need to get their waterfall fix while in Bali.

We park the scooters and join the steady stream of international tourists lining up to pay their entrance fee. As we walk toward the stairs leading to the falls, we pass dozens of markets stalls and warungs, their owners hawk their goods at us and the people around us indiscriminately, unperturbed by our disinterest.

Serenity and quiet is not what you should expect when visiting Tegenungan Waterfall. Its proximity to Ubud, relative ease to get to, and the new addition of a restaurant/bar at the top of the falls means that Tegenungan Waterfall is almost always packed.

Once you pass the entry point, it’s an easy five to ten-minute walk down to the falls along well establish concrete steps and paths. Along the way there are a few lookout points where you can view the falls from afar and snap some photos in the bamboo ‘love seats’ that have become ubiquitous with tourist destinations here in Bali.

At the base of the falls is a series of bamboo bridges that connect the small pebble ‘sand bars’ which you can walk all over and take photos from if the water levels are low enough.

Like most waterfalls in Bali, after heavy rain the water turns brown from the collection of mud gathered as the water makes its way downstream. You also won’t be able to go on the pebble ‘sand bars’ if this is the case as the falls are quite powerful and it can be dangerous to be in the water.

If there haven’t been heavy rains recently though, you can swim at the base of the falls in a roped off area.

I saw these falls at the start of 2018 after heavy rains and again at the start of 2019. In the intervening year there has been a restaurant/bar built at the top of the falls, a testament to how quickly some locations can be transformed for tourism. The bar/restaurant can be reached by walking down to the falls and up the other side, although this is classed as another area and will cost you another entrance fee on top of what you paid to enter the Tegenungam Waterfall area.

Personally, I think there are far better waterfalls to see in Bali, however, if you’re in Ubud and simply need to get your waterfall fix, Tegenungan Waterfall is an easy way to satisfy that need.

How to get there

scooter / car | An easy scooter ride or drive from Ubud’s town centre, the trip should only take you about 30 minutes, depending on traffic.

tour | If getting yourself around on a scooter isn’t your thing and you’d rather make the most of your day, you could always opt to do a Tegenungan Waterfall tour.

There are a variety of options for your tour, depending on what kind of day you’re looking to have. Click here to check out a few different options here for the best Bali waterfall tours.

taxi | You could also opt to jump in a local taxi from Ubud to Tegenungan Waterfall. If you go for this option, I recommend you use the Blue Bird taxi service, and that you either agree on a price beforehand or ensure they have their meter running BEFORE you get in the car.

The essentials

cost | The Tegenungan waterfall entrance fee is 20’000 IDR. This will get you into the Waterfall ONLY. Entrance to the restaurant/bar atop the falls is extra.

facilities | As you walk down toward the waterfall from the car park, you’ll pass many stalls selling clothes, food, and drinks. At the base of Tegenungan Waterfall itself are a few open-air shacks that you can make use of to hide from the harsh sun and store your possessions.

When to visit

time of year | Bali’s seasons are divided in two, the wet and the dry. While you can visit the falls in either, the chances of the water being brown and too powerful to swim in due to heavy rain is much higher in the rainy season. There is little shade in the area, and so visiting during the dry season comes with its own set of challenges. The shoulder season, February -April is probably your best bet, although it depends on the day.

time of Day | Extremely popular with tourists, its best to arrive at Tegenungan Waterfall as early as possible to beat the crowds. If you’re looking to take photos, the usual rules of early morning light apply, as the sun can get quite harsh very quickly here past 9/10am.

Where to stay

Ubud has exploded on the traveller’s map over the years, and so too have the number of places to stay. Click here to check prices and availability for places to stay.

Alternatively, dive a little deeper into the culture of Bali by booking a homestay through Airbnb.

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